This is an out-of-print book and may be hard to find but it is worth the hunt and the read.
Title: Judith’s Marriage
Author: Bryan Houghton
In this book, we find a woman determined to maintain the Faith she converted to in the 1950's in spite of the many challenges presented to Catholics all over the world in the sixties. Her greatest joy and deepest hurt all come from the religion that brought her should and union with God to light.
Although fiction, this book provides an excellent story and history of the times preceding and following the Vatican II counsel as seen and lived by a Catholic woman and her family. Whether you embrace the liturgy you find in our churches today or long for the pre-Vatican II times, you will probably read this book in one sitting to see how it all turns out for Judith and her marriage.
There are many ways to die for your Faith and it doesn’t always require a bloody demise in uncivilized climes. Sometimes, martyrdom comes slowly through words, deeds, and actions. And, sometimes, people, like Judith, receive their suffering from those who should have cared for her spiritual welfare the most.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
It's time to clean the refrigerator when . . .
Just sharing my personal reflections!
1. The light bulb refuses to turn on when the door is opened.
2. You find a quarantine notice posted on the door, signed by the city.
3. You hear knocking and it is coming from within the closed refrigerator.
4. Items of mysteriously wrapped leftovers seem to rearrange themselves.
5. Even when the door is closed, there is a strange, green glowing light around its edges.
6. The dog whines and hides every time you open the refrigerator door.
7. You panic when one of your children is left alone in the kitchen.
8. Your aluminum foil is gone and it looks like the tin man was assembled in your refrigerator.
9. You wonder if there is a special blessing for refrigerators.
10. You seriously consider buying a new refrigerator and just having this one towed away, as is.
1. The light bulb refuses to turn on when the door is opened.
2. You find a quarantine notice posted on the door, signed by the city.
3. You hear knocking and it is coming from within the closed refrigerator.
4. Items of mysteriously wrapped leftovers seem to rearrange themselves.
5. Even when the door is closed, there is a strange, green glowing light around its edges.
6. The dog whines and hides every time you open the refrigerator door.
7. You panic when one of your children is left alone in the kitchen.
8. Your aluminum foil is gone and it looks like the tin man was assembled in your refrigerator.
9. You wonder if there is a special blessing for refrigerators.
10. You seriously consider buying a new refrigerator and just having this one towed away, as is.
Summer and Sanity!
Summer is approaching and within days after school letting out for the summer, the children will already claim boredom. For the younger set, here are some inexpensive yet fun things to make and do. Warm weather is nice; they can do this outside!
Silly Putty
2 cups white, all-purpose glue
1 cup liquid starch
Mix together thoroughly. Set on disposable, plastic plates or waxed paper for play time. Can be used much like the commercial putty. Store in an airtight container.
Gunk
2 pounds cornstarch
3 3/4 cups water
Green food coloring
Add food coloring to the water to desired darkness, stir into the cornstarch. When the cornstarch is dissolved, drop the whole batch into plastic bowls or trays to play. It is a more liquid ‘dough’. Easy clean up; when it dries, sweep it away. Leftover Gunk can be placed in glass jars and let dry. Reconstitute with water.
Body Paints
2 cups non-irritating baby shampoo
Powdered tempra paints
Dived the shampoo into two or more portions. Stir in enough tempra paint to make a medium-density color. Take the children and the paints outside dressed in swim suits. The children can decorate themselves and run through the sprinklers to clean up.
Silly Putty
2 cups white, all-purpose glue
1 cup liquid starch
Mix together thoroughly. Set on disposable, plastic plates or waxed paper for play time. Can be used much like the commercial putty. Store in an airtight container.
Gunk
2 pounds cornstarch
3 3/4 cups water
Green food coloring
Add food coloring to the water to desired darkness, stir into the cornstarch. When the cornstarch is dissolved, drop the whole batch into plastic bowls or trays to play. It is a more liquid ‘dough’. Easy clean up; when it dries, sweep it away. Leftover Gunk can be placed in glass jars and let dry. Reconstitute with water.
Body Paints
2 cups non-irritating baby shampoo
Powdered tempra paints
Dived the shampoo into two or more portions. Stir in enough tempra paint to make a medium-density color. Take the children and the paints outside dressed in swim suits. The children can decorate themselves and run through the sprinklers to clean up.
Best explanation yet!
Love has a hem to her garment
That reaches the very dust.
It sweeps the stains
from the streets and lanes,
and because it can, it must.
Mother Theresa
That reaches the very dust.
It sweeps the stains
from the streets and lanes,
and because it can, it must.
Mother Theresa
I feel better now!
After recognizing every song on the previous post about the ten worst hymns, I was happy to find an ever more revolting one that our choir hasn't discovered yet!
God of Earth and Outer Space.
God of earth and outer space,
God of love and God of grace,
Bless the astronauts who fly
As they soar beyond the sky.
God who flung the stars in space,
God who set the sun ablaze,
Fling the spacecraft through the air,
Let man know your presence there.
God of atmosphere and air,
God of life and planets bare,
Use man’s courage and his skill
As he seeks your holy will.
God of depth and God of height,
God of darkness, God of light,
As man walks in outer space
Teach him how to walk in grace. . . .
God of Earth and Outer Space.
God of earth and outer space,
God of love and God of grace,
Bless the astronauts who fly
As they soar beyond the sky.
God who flung the stars in space,
God who set the sun ablaze,
Fling the spacecraft through the air,
Let man know your presence there.
God of atmosphere and air,
God of life and planets bare,
Use man’s courage and his skill
As he seeks your holy will.
God of depth and God of height,
God of darkness, God of light,
As man walks in outer space
Teach him how to walk in grace. . . .
Ten worst Catholic Hymns . . .
Probably stepping over a line with some people, but I had to agree with this list I found on line. With all the richness of Church music available, it seems sad that so many choirs limit themselves to mundane, camp fire type music. Our pastor just mentioned to us a couple of Sundays ago that the hymn he dislikes the most happens to be the number one 'worst' one on this list.
10. “Pescador de los Hombres” (Lord, When You Stood by the Seashore)
According to some sources, this was the favorite hymn of Pope John Paul II.
9. “I Am the Bread of Life,” by Suzanne Toolan
8. “On Eagles’ Wings, ” by Michael Joncas
7. “Pan de Vida, cuerpo del Señor,” by Bob Hurd and Pia Moriarty
6. “Sing a New Song,” by Dan Schutte
5. “We Remember,” by Marty Haugen
4. “Here I Am, Lord,” by Dan Schutte
3. “City of God, ” by Dan Schutte
2. “Gather Us In,” by Marty Haugen
1. “Sons of God, Hear His Holy Word,” by James Thiem
10. “Pescador de los Hombres” (Lord, When You Stood by the Seashore)
According to some sources, this was the favorite hymn of Pope John Paul II.
9. “I Am the Bread of Life,” by Suzanne Toolan
8. “On Eagles’ Wings, ” by Michael Joncas
7. “Pan de Vida, cuerpo del Señor,” by Bob Hurd and Pia Moriarty
6. “Sing a New Song,” by Dan Schutte
5. “We Remember,” by Marty Haugen
4. “Here I Am, Lord,” by Dan Schutte
3. “City of God, ” by Dan Schutte
2. “Gather Us In,” by Marty Haugen
1. “Sons of God, Hear His Holy Word,” by James Thiem
Chores done and sewing time enjoyed . . .
I braced myself for a long day of shopping with my son. It's not that he is picky but it can be difficult to find comfortable shoes that he likes that are also in his size. He got up early and off we went to invade the hallowed halls of the merchandise world.
The first store had few choices. My son just stood there and looked and not one of the five choices appealed to him. Only FIVE choices? I had to agree with him that the small inventory wasn't very inspiring.
We left the store and there was a discount shoe store a few steps away. We have never had much luck at this establishment but it was there and we were going to become desparate eventually so we gave it a look. A few more choices here and suddenly, we find a great pair of sneakers on sale. He tries them on and they fit. Now, we needed some kind of shoe that could pass as a dress shoe but still have the comfort of a sneaker. Down in the corner, he found such a shoe. He tried it on in his size and it was a bit tight and he is still growing. We looked in the next size up and, naturally, no luck. We wandered back to our originally startin place and I saw the desired shoe in the same size but in a 'wide'. I suggested he give it a try and success! Who would have thought it. AND, the second pair was on sale for half off. The anticipated long day of shopping was only 15 minutes and in my delight I treated him to lunch.
Now that my quilt batting has arrived, I pulled out a partially quilted project and finished cutting out the necessary squares and got all but eight of the 40 squares quilted. Another success.
I'm trying to get my three projects done before my son and I take off on vacation. My husband happily opted to stay home. He said his treat was NOT having to get on an airplane for hours at a stretch. He also likes peace and quiet when he works and he has plans for kitchen repairs. A marriage made in Heaven for both of us!
The first store had few choices. My son just stood there and looked and not one of the five choices appealed to him. Only FIVE choices? I had to agree with him that the small inventory wasn't very inspiring.
We left the store and there was a discount shoe store a few steps away. We have never had much luck at this establishment but it was there and we were going to become desparate eventually so we gave it a look. A few more choices here and suddenly, we find a great pair of sneakers on sale. He tries them on and they fit. Now, we needed some kind of shoe that could pass as a dress shoe but still have the comfort of a sneaker. Down in the corner, he found such a shoe. He tried it on in his size and it was a bit tight and he is still growing. We looked in the next size up and, naturally, no luck. We wandered back to our originally startin place and I saw the desired shoe in the same size but in a 'wide'. I suggested he give it a try and success! Who would have thought it. AND, the second pair was on sale for half off. The anticipated long day of shopping was only 15 minutes and in my delight I treated him to lunch.
Now that my quilt batting has arrived, I pulled out a partially quilted project and finished cutting out the necessary squares and got all but eight of the 40 squares quilted. Another success.
I'm trying to get my three projects done before my son and I take off on vacation. My husband happily opted to stay home. He said his treat was NOT having to get on an airplane for hours at a stretch. He also likes peace and quiet when he works and he has plans for kitchen repairs. A marriage made in Heaven for both of us!
How can this be justified . . .?
Since I do a lot of sewing/cooking, baking, I'm in the kitchen alone most of the time and usually have the talk radio shows playing to keep me company. My tastes in the radio programming are usually not the same as my children!
Today, the topic on one show was a lawsuit by a prisoner in jail for murder. The man wants the State of California to pay for his sex change surgery so he can go stay in the women's prison. From what I understand, the State has been paying for his hormone treatments at taxpayer expense. It seems to me that if you break the law, especially taking someone's life, your own life, as you know it, pretty much ends because being in prison isn't supposed to be a country club atmosphere. I have to wonder why the whole matter is taken seriously in the first place.
Would I be allowed to bring in my sewing machine, fabric, scissors, etc. to jail because that is what I like to do? Nope. Why? Because jail is a punishment for a serious crime.
Granted, prisoners are entitled the basic, humane medical treatment as required to stay healthy but I don't think expensive, elective surgery should be charged to the taxpayer's account. People seem to forget that they voluntarily got themselves into their current situation and, as a result, have to face the fact that they can't continue a freedom of choice existence.
Yes, I would pray for these people as we should, anyway. However, if the felon wins this surgery, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that more people would use the prison system for elective surgerie they couldn't afford in the outside world. Gotta to shake you head over the loss of common sense in the world today.
Today, the topic on one show was a lawsuit by a prisoner in jail for murder. The man wants the State of California to pay for his sex change surgery so he can go stay in the women's prison. From what I understand, the State has been paying for his hormone treatments at taxpayer expense. It seems to me that if you break the law, especially taking someone's life, your own life, as you know it, pretty much ends because being in prison isn't supposed to be a country club atmosphere. I have to wonder why the whole matter is taken seriously in the first place.
Would I be allowed to bring in my sewing machine, fabric, scissors, etc. to jail because that is what I like to do? Nope. Why? Because jail is a punishment for a serious crime.
Granted, prisoners are entitled the basic, humane medical treatment as required to stay healthy but I don't think expensive, elective surgery should be charged to the taxpayer's account. People seem to forget that they voluntarily got themselves into their current situation and, as a result, have to face the fact that they can't continue a freedom of choice existence.
Yes, I would pray for these people as we should, anyway. However, if the felon wins this surgery, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that more people would use the prison system for elective surgerie they couldn't afford in the outside world. Gotta to shake you head over the loss of common sense in the world today.
A Joyful Favorite . . .
My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. -- Luke 1:46-55
Smile offering for today!
"I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours."
-- Jerome K. Jerome
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
-- W. C. Fields
-- Jerome K. Jerome
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
-- W. C. Fields
Do my duty or quilting?
My bad angel says to take the whole day and quilt. My good angel says I need to take my teen shopping for new shoes. Sigh . . . Guess who wins on this one? Since my son and I are heading out on a vacation requiring a lot of walking, he needs to get some sturdy shoes broken in now. Okay, okay, I'm going shopping!
Shoe shopping is always an adventure these days especially for women. I've noticed that men's shoes don't change that much while women's shoes can be rather interesting. I have to wonder if some women take a look in the mirror as to how some shoe styles throw off their balance and don't really make them look all that attractive. I saw one rather portly woman wearing what seemed to be five-inch platform shoes that caused her to bend forward in order to walk and stay up. When she bent forward, it sadly threw her generous behind out and did not make a pretty profile. She compounded the chosen style with a thin-knit mini-dress. We had to take a 'charm' class in high school and the one thing I remember is you should always check a full-length mirror before leaving the house. Just checking out your hair and face doesn't tell the whole story!
Anyway, the fate of any quilting time, today, hangs in the balance of the amount of time required to find suitable shoes for my son. He isn't a fashion hound so if the shoes fit, aren't pink, and ARE comfortable, this could be a fast and easy process. Sigh . . . what are the chances? I've noticed that every time we enter a store, they hide everything in the sizes we are looking for! Nope, not paranoid! They really are out to get me! :-)
Shoe shopping is always an adventure these days especially for women. I've noticed that men's shoes don't change that much while women's shoes can be rather interesting. I have to wonder if some women take a look in the mirror as to how some shoe styles throw off their balance and don't really make them look all that attractive. I saw one rather portly woman wearing what seemed to be five-inch platform shoes that caused her to bend forward in order to walk and stay up. When she bent forward, it sadly threw her generous behind out and did not make a pretty profile. She compounded the chosen style with a thin-knit mini-dress. We had to take a 'charm' class in high school and the one thing I remember is you should always check a full-length mirror before leaving the house. Just checking out your hair and face doesn't tell the whole story!
Anyway, the fate of any quilting time, today, hangs in the balance of the amount of time required to find suitable shoes for my son. He isn't a fashion hound so if the shoes fit, aren't pink, and ARE comfortable, this could be a fast and easy process. Sigh . . . what are the chances? I've noticed that every time we enter a store, they hide everything in the sizes we are looking for! Nope, not paranoid! They really are out to get me! :-)
Stretching your resources . . .
The economy in the United States is scary these days and whenever there is a sale on some non-perishable food item, I try and stock up. Even ground beef is getting more and more expensive but it is still one of the cheaper items you can use to get a hot meal on the table and still save a few cents.
Ground beef really stretches the meal in this recipe. Ever since I can remember, my mother offered this dish to us every couple of weeks. Looking back, I realize it coincided with a pre-payday week! Nevertheless, it is filling and savory. It also lends itself to your own ideas of what to throw in to please yourself and your family’s tastes.
Beef Bean Savory
2 pounds ground beef, estimate
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 brown onions, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 large can baked beans, your choice
1-2 small cans tomato paste
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. When the beef turns brown and crumbly, add the onions. Continue cooking until the onions are transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Serve with a salad and fresh bread or biscuits. Then again, this is a meal that calls for hot corn bread.
Ground beef really stretches the meal in this recipe. Ever since I can remember, my mother offered this dish to us every couple of weeks. Looking back, I realize it coincided with a pre-payday week! Nevertheless, it is filling and savory. It also lends itself to your own ideas of what to throw in to please yourself and your family’s tastes.
Beef Bean Savory
2 pounds ground beef, estimate
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 brown onions, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 large can baked beans, your choice
1-2 small cans tomato paste
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. When the beef turns brown and crumbly, add the onions. Continue cooking until the onions are transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Serve with a salad and fresh bread or biscuits. Then again, this is a meal that calls for hot corn bread.
Marthas abound . . .
I attend Mass almost daily but do take some issue with the abundance of females running about the altar. It seems to me that women should be helping out when there aren't any men available to be lectors or extraordinary ministers. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, when they started allowing girls to serve Mass, it was to help out when there were not enough boys to do the job. Now, boys often have to sit out Mass because the girls are scheduled ahead of them.
No matter what people claim, serving at the altar is not a step to the religious life for a girl whereas it could be for a boy. If my history serves me right, serving at the altar, in the olden days (!), was one of the actual steps to becoming a priest.
The claim in our current parish is that there are not enough boys to serve Mass. Uh, in a parish with probably over 1,500 families, everyone just gave birth to only females? Like in the workplace, these days, females are taking away jobs traditionally held for men and it can be bad for moral, hard for men to support their families, and ultimately a problem for the economy.
In my entire life, I've only seen one altar boy who was a bit of a vanity freak in caring what he looked like, preening at the altar, and admiring himself in any nearby reflections. Just about every female server at our parish is constantly fussing with her hair, looking about, and refusing to take an active part in serving the Mass! More than once, there have been a line up of servers kneeling at the altar when it comes time to ring the bells for Consecration and I've personally witnessed the girl assigned to ring the bells hurriedly pass the bells down the line to the boy. When asked if she doesn't know how to ring the bells, she said, "I know how, I just didn't want to."!
My husband trained altar boys for over twelve years and he always told the boys that if the congregation notices them, they aren't doing their job. Ninety-five percent of the girls serving Mass want to be noticed.
In my humble opinion, we might be losing some prietly vocations when boys hesitate to become an altar boy because the girls have taken over. Seems to me we have more Marthas than Marys in church these days.
No matter what people claim, serving at the altar is not a step to the religious life for a girl whereas it could be for a boy. If my history serves me right, serving at the altar, in the olden days (!), was one of the actual steps to becoming a priest.
The claim in our current parish is that there are not enough boys to serve Mass. Uh, in a parish with probably over 1,500 families, everyone just gave birth to only females? Like in the workplace, these days, females are taking away jobs traditionally held for men and it can be bad for moral, hard for men to support their families, and ultimately a problem for the economy.
In my entire life, I've only seen one altar boy who was a bit of a vanity freak in caring what he looked like, preening at the altar, and admiring himself in any nearby reflections. Just about every female server at our parish is constantly fussing with her hair, looking about, and refusing to take an active part in serving the Mass! More than once, there have been a line up of servers kneeling at the altar when it comes time to ring the bells for Consecration and I've personally witnessed the girl assigned to ring the bells hurriedly pass the bells down the line to the boy. When asked if she doesn't know how to ring the bells, she said, "I know how, I just didn't want to."!
My husband trained altar boys for over twelve years and he always told the boys that if the congregation notices them, they aren't doing their job. Ninety-five percent of the girls serving Mass want to be noticed.
In my humble opinion, we might be losing some prietly vocations when boys hesitate to become an altar boy because the girls have taken over. Seems to me we have more Marthas than Marys in church these days.
Easy way to save the day . . . at meal time!
There are times when you have that beautiful pot of soup simmering on the stove but the day suddenly overwhelms you. The bread remains in your dreams and you need something to round out your soup supper. Biscuits aren’t limited to the breakfast scene. And, believe it or not, the ordinary biscuit is teeming with possibilities.
Everyday Biscuits
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 ½ cups milk, approximately
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the shortening with a pastry cutter or fork. It should look like coarse meal. Slowly add the milk, mixing the batter gently with a fork until a soft dough is formed. Take half the dough and knead on a floured surface until smooth. Not too long! Just until it loses it’s stickiness. Roll out lightly to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or a glass. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake on lightly-greased baking sheet for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Makes about two dozen biscuits.
Biscuits go well with just about any kind of soup. You don’t have to make due with plain biscuits all the time. Biscuits adapt well to added ingredients. Think about what you are serving them with and enhance them with a bit of your own ideas.
Cheese Biscuits can happen with a cup of grated cheese added to the dough. Cheddar is best but Feta is interesting.
Herb Biscuits will take any dry herb or spice that will be compatible with your main course. Dried dill biscuits go well with chicken soup. Thyme and Rosemary are surprisingly good with a heartier, beef soup or stew.
If you need dessert, biscuits can rescue you again. Add a cup of granulated sugar to the above biscuit mix and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar before baking. A plain bowl of ice cream increases in value when there is a warm, sweet biscuit along side it.
Depending on how your mornings go, nothing gets the family up like the scent of baking biscuits. I loved sleeping in when I was younger . . . but I loved biscuits more! Sometimes I would carefully dribble maple syrup on them. Other times, they clamored for a pat of butter and a spoonful of jam. No matter how grey and drizzly the day, a cozy kitchen and hot biscuits revealed the warmth of my mother’s love. Baking biscuits makes memories and certainly brings back memories. It is never so much the actual food but the time and thought that brought it to the table.
My father got himself in trouble with his favorite aunt over biscuits. We would often visit on a Saturday and stay for one of Aunt Jo’s wonderful lunches. I always remember the line up of glasses at my place, a glass of milk, one of orange juice and another of water. Hot biscuits were always a part of whatever she was serving. One time she complained that no one ever mentioned her homemade biscuits. She was feeling overworked and under loved! Keeping this conversation in mind, the next time we visited, my father praised her biscuits to the skies. After his fourth or fifth flowery remark on her culinary expertise when it came to biscuits, Aunt Jo had to admit something. She had been in a hurry that day and the biscuits were from a package.
Everyday Biscuits
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 ½ cups milk, approximately
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the shortening with a pastry cutter or fork. It should look like coarse meal. Slowly add the milk, mixing the batter gently with a fork until a soft dough is formed. Take half the dough and knead on a floured surface until smooth. Not too long! Just until it loses it’s stickiness. Roll out lightly to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or a glass. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake on lightly-greased baking sheet for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Makes about two dozen biscuits.
Biscuits go well with just about any kind of soup. You don’t have to make due with plain biscuits all the time. Biscuits adapt well to added ingredients. Think about what you are serving them with and enhance them with a bit of your own ideas.
Cheese Biscuits can happen with a cup of grated cheese added to the dough. Cheddar is best but Feta is interesting.
Herb Biscuits will take any dry herb or spice that will be compatible with your main course. Dried dill biscuits go well with chicken soup. Thyme and Rosemary are surprisingly good with a heartier, beef soup or stew.
If you need dessert, biscuits can rescue you again. Add a cup of granulated sugar to the above biscuit mix and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar before baking. A plain bowl of ice cream increases in value when there is a warm, sweet biscuit along side it.
Depending on how your mornings go, nothing gets the family up like the scent of baking biscuits. I loved sleeping in when I was younger . . . but I loved biscuits more! Sometimes I would carefully dribble maple syrup on them. Other times, they clamored for a pat of butter and a spoonful of jam. No matter how grey and drizzly the day, a cozy kitchen and hot biscuits revealed the warmth of my mother’s love. Baking biscuits makes memories and certainly brings back memories. It is never so much the actual food but the time and thought that brought it to the table.
My father got himself in trouble with his favorite aunt over biscuits. We would often visit on a Saturday and stay for one of Aunt Jo’s wonderful lunches. I always remember the line up of glasses at my place, a glass of milk, one of orange juice and another of water. Hot biscuits were always a part of whatever she was serving. One time she complained that no one ever mentioned her homemade biscuits. She was feeling overworked and under loved! Keeping this conversation in mind, the next time we visited, my father praised her biscuits to the skies. After his fourth or fifth flowery remark on her culinary expertise when it came to biscuits, Aunt Jo had to admit something. She had been in a hurry that day and the biscuits were from a package.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)